See we're ingeniously getting Gillespie into "I'll do it all myself, with maybe an adventurous cbf innings from Ryder, thanks ****s" mode quite early this year, Wgtn's best mode of all. Got a few stumps flying in Rangiora last time, I still expect a modest first innings lead against these tipped-for-the-spoon shunts.

Nothing short of an All Stars look about Ellis, can only presume we'll bring him to his natural home one day.

Cricket was a cloud
It was just like a flower
Agribusiness added lime
Now my love is sour

>>>>>>WHHOOOOOOOOOSHHHHHHH>>>>>>Fascist Dictator of the Heath Davis Appreciation SocietySupporting Petone's Finest since the very start - Iain O'Brien
Adam Wheater - Another batsman off the Essex production line
Also Supporting the All Time #1 Batsman of All Time Ever - Jacques Kallis and the much maligned Peter Siddle.

Sodhi is also shaping up to be a really annoying lower order batsman isn't he?

Originally Posted by Athlai

Jeets doesn't really deserve to be bowling.

Originally Posted by Athlai

Well yeah Tendy is probably better than Bradman, but Bradman was 70 years ago, if he grew up in the modern era he'd still easily be the best. Though he wasn't, can understand the argument for Tendy even though I don't agree.

So happy to see Mitchell rack up a decent innings, he was insane for the Valley during the Hawke Cup last season, racked up a few 100's against some pretty handy attacks. Scored 120 odd not out against a Hamilton attack featuring Mathieson, Verma, Baker and Scott and his team struggled to make 200. Quality bat and a bloody decent bowling option.

Exactly Slippaah, I was gob-smacked to see that it was the same guy-and that he's still so bloody young! I know 18 is a bit young for "A" cricket, let alone FC, but...he has full international experience and a lot of it abroad, so I don't think he'd be fazed in the slightest.

Exactly Slippaah, I was gob-smacked to see that it was the same guy-and that he's still so bloody young! I know 18 is a bit young for "A" cricket, let alone FC, but...he has full international experience and a lot of it abroad, so I don't think he'd be fazed in the slightest.

Don't hear much in NZ about these Associate teams. Or their ICC WCL competitions .Perception here is I guess they traditionally make up the numbers and get hammered at World Cup time.How would say Namibia or UAE go v FC sides in N Z like ND or Wellington in a 4 day game ? It would be a team of Amateurs V Pro's I assume.

Don't hear much in NZ about these Associate teams. Or their ICC WCL competitions .Perception here is I guess they traditionally make up the numbers and get hammered at World Cup time.How would say Namibia or UAE go v FC sides in N Z like ND or Wellington in a 4 day game ? It would be a team of Amateurs V Pro's I assume.

Most of them are what we'd consider slightly sub-FC in standard really. I'd say the Dutch would be capable enough in shorter formats-they were actually looking like potential semi-finalists in the English CB40 this season before they got worked out a bit towards the end. I think they'd win the odd game but be second bottom at best in 4 day in New Zealand. Same goes for Scotland (who beat Bangladesh recently).

Namibia is a really interesting one in that they play in the SA semi-pro second tier (which is FC). They generally finish bottom but bloody a few noses, with their best 4 or 5 players delivering the sort of numbers that mark them out as good enough to be reasonable players in County or NZ domestic cricket. Again, I wouldn't see them anything other than bottom as they don't have the depth.

UAE are just the definition of inconsistency-they'll beat Afghanistan one game and lose to Nepal the next. Every so often Khuram Khan might win a game on his own, but he's a bit ancient now.

But if you were to pick an XI out of the slightly lower Associates, they'd give any domestic NZ side a good game. Nepal's best spinner wouldn't be far off Kiwi international honours..and I'd say most of the top 10 Associates sides would do really well in a 2nd XI competition. Chapman's in that "just under FC" level as a top HK performer-only that was almost 2 years ago when he was still a child!